Happy Birthday Naruto - Your Father Loves You
by Alley McNally
Summary: Minato's thoughts as Obito taunts him during the fight with Madara. This fanfic is written to celebrate our favorite Knuckle-headed Ninja. Happy Birthday Naruto! WARNING! This fanfic includes spoilers. If you haven't read Naruto 643 or seen Shippuden episode 380 yet, then don't read! Thanks.


Today is Naruto's birthday. That poor, orphan, Naruto who has no parents yet has wormed his way into our hearts! Who has introduced me to the 4th Hokage and his very loud wife! Who has made me cry and made me laugh. Oh and don't forget made me cringe! I'm looking at you, 100 fillers in a row!  
>Still, the story of Naruto Uzumaki is one that I will treasure for a long time. And since October 10th is his official birthday, I wrote this story to be posted on that day. Why? Because I can! And because it's fun to celebrate that knucklehead ninja!<p>

OH! One bit of warning, if you haven't read Naruto 643 or seen Shippuden episode 380 (not in dub right now), then don't read this fanfic! It contains spoilers and dialog from the show! You have been warned!

**Happy Birthday Naruto**

" . . . it's also the day I was born!"

Minato's mind drifted back to the infant he met so long ago. His precious, little Naruto. So, small and fragile. Yet, he had such a strong, tiny voice. He was so happy back then.

_Naruto's here!_

Minato remembered thinking as he saw the tiny, little baby for the first time. He remembered how he felt. Now, those same memories brought sadness and regret. He failed Naruto. He failed Kushina. He couldn't protect them. He lost so much that day . . .

_I failed you, Naruto. I am supposed to be your father, your protector but I failed you. Then I cursed you . . ._

Minato thought of the seal he placed on his boy. He never wanted to do that. He wanted Naruto to have a happy childhood, not be cursed as Jinchuriki. To be hated. To be excluded. To be so lonely. It was fate that he would not wish not on his worst enemy.

_Yet, I cursed my son with with it._

He wanted to be by his son's side. He wanted to guide him. He wanted to teach him how to be man. Yet, he wasn't there. He left Naruto suffer that fate alone. . .

_I am so sorry, Naruto._

Minato didn't know what kind of childhood his son had, but he knew that it wasn't a happy one. As his father, he should have prevented it. It shouldn't have been necessary to make him a jinchuriki. He should known that what Obito was up to and had stopped him before . . .

_Kushina, forgive me._

Minato let Obito get ahold of their son. He let him use Naruto as a tool to separate them. His carelessness lead to their deaths. It lead to their son's suffering.

"So you see it's not over . . . "Cuz I exist in this world!"

Naruto's words broke him out of his thoughts. Yes, Naruto was still alive and well. And he is an amazing shinobi and a even better son. He was so much like his mother that it hurt. So strong, so forceful. Just like Kushina. He was quite a son . . .

Minato was glad that he was alive. He loved him so much that it hurt. Tomorrow may be the anniversary of their deaths, but it was also the anniversary of his birth! The anniversary of the day that he received Kushina's greatest gift. He was their son. No one could ever take that away from them.

Warmth filled his heart as he looked upon his son. He was so different than that small babe he left behind.

_Our Naruto has become really strong . . . Kushina._

An image of Kushina and Naruto together filled his mind. She was so relieved to see him again. So sad because she knew that she was going to leave him. Minato remembered how sad and angry it made him.

He was angry at that masked man . . . Obito. He was angry at himself for failing them. He should have protected them! He failed Obito. He failed Rin. He couldn't seem to help Kakashi. He failed his wife and son. It gnawed at Minato as remembered all his failures.

Minato forced himself to focus. His son was alive and he needed him now. He had to make up for his failures. He had to make up for the curse. He owed Naruto at least that much.

It hurt have Obito to expose his failures to his son. It hurt as he reminded them how he turned the most special day of Minato's life into the worst day. And now, Obito was trying to make Naruto hate him. He was trying to break his son's spirit. He was trying to blame Naruto for their deaths.

_It's not your fault, Naruto._

Minato loved his son. He was proud of him. He was so glad that he was born. He didn't want his son to think that it was his fault that they died.

Naruto ranted at Obito. He seemed to do that a lot. He was so much like Kushina. As he ranted, Minato realized how much his son loved him. He realized how proud his son was of him. His words filled Minato with joy. It gave him strength to keep fighting.

Minato promised himself that when this was all over he was going to tell him something important. Something he never, ever got to tell him. Something, he was going to tell him at least once.

He was going to tell him,

Happy Birthday Naruto.


End file.
